Method and apparatus for producing felted fiber insulation



Feb 8,1938. w R WN 2,107,779

METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR PRODUCING FELTED FIBER INSULATION Original Filed Feb. 19, 1934 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR. ll z Zlz'am Bro W77,

BY M, Cams- ATTORNEY Feb. 8, 1938. w. BROWN Y 2,107,779

METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR PRODUCING FELTED FIBER INSULATION Original Filed Feb. 19, 1934 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Mllz'am ,Bro W71.

A TTORNEYS.

INVENTOR.

1w, can. A $9 Patented Feb. 8, 1938 METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR- PRODUC- ING FELTED FIBER INSULATION William Brown, Detroit, Mich.

Application February 19, 1934, Serial No. 711,868 Renewed April 5, 1937 23 Claim.

This invention relates to the manufacture of insulation forms, such as blocks, slabs, concavoconvex sections, particularly adapted for pipe coverings, and other molded forms, composed of mineral or rock wool, asbestos, magnesia or any other suitable material, an object of the invention being to provide improved apparatus and method for producing insulation forms or products having improved texture and character and wherein the cost of production may be materially reduced while at the same time providing a simplified process and apparatus.

Heretofore, in the production of molded insulation blocks or slabs of fibrous material, such as rock wool, the fluid mixture containing the insulation material in suspension has been subjected to high pressure in molls so as to produce an initial set and to remove a part of the fluid content. The slabs or segments thus molded are then baked at relatively high temperatures during an extended period of time, such as thirty hours, to eliminate the remaining fluid content. This method has been found objectionable in practice and has many disadvantages resulting in a relatively high cost of production and the generally inferior character of the product both as to texture and strength.

In accordance .with the present method the insulation material, such as'rock wool, is mixed 30 with water and a suitable binder and this fluid mixture is introduced into a mold having outer perforated or foraminous walls. The mold is preferably agitated or vibrated during the filling operation to effect a substantial extraction or 35 ejection of water from the mold and at the same time to produce a desirable interlacing and packing of the fibrous material. The mold is then rotated or spun at high speed and a further extraction of water is secured as a result of cen- 40 trifugal action, this operation accomplishing a further knitting, felting or packing together of the fibrous material with the binder. .In practice it ispreferred to mount the mold so as to rotate on a vertical axis, and it is also preferred to vibrate or agitate the mold in a vertical direction during the process of filling the moldwith the fluid mixture. As a result a very desirable knitted and felted condition of the fibrous mate-- rial is secured during the vibration operation while the mold is progressively filled and preferably prior to rotation thereof.

As a result of the present process the improved texture and increased strength of the product is due in part to the agitation of the mold and in part touthe spinning thereof resulting in felting the fibers in such manner as to produce a greater number of air cells or voids and a more efllcient knitting of the fibers than heretofore possible by the use of dies.

Other objects of this invention will appear in 5 the following description and appended claims, reference being had to the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification wherein like reference characters designate corresponding parts in the several views. 10

Fig. 1 is a fragmentary front elevation illustrating a portion of a multiple cylinder apparatus for carrying out the present invention.

Fig. 2 is an end elevation, partly broken away, of the apparatus shown in Fig. 1. 15

Fig. 3 is a plan view of the structure shown in Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is an enlarged section taken through lines'l-J of Fig. 2 in the direction of the arrows.

Fig. 5 is an enlarged section taken through 20 lines 5-5 of Fig. 2 in the direction of the arrows.

Fig. 6 is an enlarged section taken through lines 6-6 of Fig. 2 in the direction of the arrows.

Fig. 7 is an enlarged section taken through lines 1-1 of Fig. 2 in the direction of the arrows.

Fig. 8 is an enlarged section taken through line 88 of Fig. 1 in the direction of the arrows.

Before explaining in detail the present invention it is to be understood that the invention is not limited in its application to the details of constructions and arrangement of parts illustrated in the accompanying drawings, since the invention is capable of other embodiments and of being praticed or carried out in various ways. Also it is to be understood that the phras'eology or terminology employed herein is for the purpose of description and not of limitation, and it is not intended to limit the invention claimed herein beyond the requirements of the prior art.

In the drawings there is illustrated, by way of 40 example, one form of apparatus including a series of similar mold units particularly, although not exclusively,adapted for the purpose of carrying out the present process and for producing an improved product in accordance with the invention. Eachmold unit includes a driving plate or disk Ill for rotating or spinning the mold. Bolted at H to the bottom face of the disk III is a belt wheel 12 which is driven through a belt l3 from a belt wheel secured to the shaft ll of an electric motor I5 carried by the frame of the machine, see Fig. 2. The driving disk or plate I0 is centrally recessed at its under side to receive the upper reduced end ii of a vertical non-rotatable shaft ll.

The upper end of this shaft is exteriorly threaded at |8 to receive a threaded collar l9 which holds in place on the shaft portion I6 the inner member 26 of a ball bearing race, the latter being clamped between the collar l9 and a shoulder portion 2| of the shaft. The outer part 22 of the ball bearing race is fastened to the driving disk l0 and ball bearings 23. are interposed between the race members 29 and 22. By this construction the driving disk l9 and pulling wheel l2 are adapted to rotate freely withrespect to the nonrotatable shaft |1.

The shaft I1 is splined at 24 and 26, see Fig. 4, to a pair of guide members 25 and 21 which are fastened within opposite ends of a cylindrical supporting bracket 28, this bracket having oppositely extending flanges 29 at its rear side which are bolted at 36 to an extended portion 3| of a main base frame 32 carrying supporting legs 33, see Figs. 1 and 2. The shaft I1 is thus supported by the bracket for limited vertical sliding movement within members 25 and 21 and in turn supports the driving plate I 0 upon which the mold is mounted.

In the present embodiment there is illustrated an apparatus composed of a bank or series of rotatable and vibratable mold units for produc-' ing simultaneously a number of molded forms of the same or different types and sizes, and there is provided a frame 32 'of' a length suitable for supporting the various mold units and the operating mechanism therefor. For the purpose of vibrating or agitating the various molds, either simultaneously or selectively, there is provided a single shaft 34 extending the length of the frame and beneath the row of molds. This shaft is supported from the several cylindrical brackets 23 by means ofhanger members 35 secured through the medium of bolts 36 to the bottom of the brackets 23. Keyed to the shaft 34 beneath each bracket 26 is a sleeve 31 having secured thereto one part or member 33 of a ball bearing race, the outer part 39 of the race being fastened to the hanger member 35, and ball bearings 46 being interposed between the parts 36 and 39. By this construction the shaft 34 is free to rotate relative to its supporting structure. The upper member 39 of the ball bearing race is held in position by a clamping ring 4| which is fastened to the hanger 35 by bolts 42. The sleeve 31 is held in position on the shaft by means of a collar 43 which is fastened to the shaft by suitable set screws. At the opposite end of the sleeve 31 there is mounted on the shaft 34 a collar 44 which forms an abutment for one end of an eccentric sleeve 45. Surrounding'this sleeve is an eccentric ring 46 forming theinner part of a ball bearing race, the outer part being shown at 43 and the ball bearings at 41. An eccentric ring 49 embraces the ball bearing race 49 and is secured to the latter. Mounted on the inner sleeve 45 through a suitable packing gland is. a ring 56 which is bolted at 5| to one end of the outer eccentric member 49. The latter is provided with a fixed projecting stud'or pin 52 projecting from the opposite end and confined within a slot or notch54 formed in the edge of an adjusting disk 53. The latter has a hub 55 loose on the shaft 34 through an interposed bushing I06 and held in position by a collar |0| fastened as by set screws to the shaft. Fastened on this hub is a ring gear 56 having teeth 51 meshing with the .teeth 53 on a quadrant 59. This quadrant is journaled at 66 to a bracket 6| fastened to the provided with a projecting handle 59a by means of which it may be rotated to turn the gear 56 and thereby turn the adjusting disk 53. Since the latter is connected to the non-rotatable eccentric ring 49 through the pin and slot connection 52, 54, rotation of the disk 53 will rotate the eccentric 49 and adjust it circumferentially into its highest position so as to engage the lower end of shaft l1, as illustrated in Fig. 8. Consequently, with the parts in this position, rotation of shaft 34 will impart a rapid rise and fall to the eccentric '49 on account of the internal eccentric 45, and this action will result in' imparting to the shaft H a vertical vibratory movement effective to agitate vertically the driving disk In on which the mold is mounted.

Since each mold unit is provided with an eccentric mechanism operated from the rotary shaft 34, each being independently controlled by means of a quadrant 59, gear 56 and adjusting disk 53, it will be seen that the molds may be vibrated or agitated simultaneously or selectively as desired, since by adjusting any one of the eccentric rings 49 to its lowest position shown in Fig.4 or in dotted lines in Fig. 8 the rise of the eccentric upon rotation of shaft 34. will be insuflicient to effect engagement with shaft l1. Thus, the shaft 34 'may, if desired, be rotated continuously while at the same time any one of the mold units may be free of any vibratory movement transmitted to it from the cam shaft Removably mounted upon the driving disk in is a mold unit which, in the present instance, is cylindrical in form and composed of two semicircular half sections generally indicated at 62. These sections when closed form, in this embodiment, a cylinder, the walls of which are foraminous or perforated, as illustrated, either the entire or the major part of their effective height or length. The cylindrical'mold 62 is formed of suitable metal and theigdiameter and height thereof are determined byP-ithe size of the article to be molded. The lower. imperforate end of the mold sections may be outwardly flanged or otherwise provided with projecting flanges or lugs 63 adapted to engage driving pins 64 fastened to the upper surface of the driving plate II), this construction providing a driving connection whereby the mold can be rotated in either dlrection through the medium of the driving disk III while permitting it to be readily uncoupled or disconnected therefrom. The mold is provided with a central core member in the form of a ver-.

supported and properly alined for rotation by means of a head 10 carried at the outer ends of an outer race member 69 secured to the head,

ball bearings 63 being carried by the bearing members. The upper end of the mold is in turn supported and properly alined for rotation bymeans ofa vertically adjustable and removable bearing supported from thebracket H. In accordance with the present construction a pair of semi-circular ring forming members 15 are secured to the upper imperforate ends of the semi-cylindrical mold sections 62, these members forming substantially a continuous bearing ring when the mold sections are clamped together in closed position. A bearing head is adapted to be shifted vertically into and out of bearing position with respect to the bearing ring 15, and this head comprises a disk I6 having a depending annular flange 16a adapted to fit over the ring and to form a bearing within which the ring together with the mold 82 are free to rotate. The head 16 is providedwith suitable filling openings I! through which the material may be supplied to the interior of the mold. Fastened within a central hole in the head 16, or cast into the head, is a boss 18 having a cylindrical bore therethrough to receive the reduced end 6511 of the 'core or shaft 85. The head 16 is, therefore, centered on the shaft extensions 65a and is also mounted to slide vertically thereon so as to permit movement of the head into and out of bearing engagement with the ring 15. The boss 18 is machined to provide an annular groove within which extend the forked ends 19 of an actuating lever 89. This lever terminates at its outer end in a handle portion and is pivoted at 8| between the projecting ends of a pair of metallic straps 82 riveted or boltedat 83 to the bracket arms H.

. From this construction it will be seen that the handle of the lever may be depressed so as to elevate the head 16 and thereby disconnect it from the upper end of the mold sections 62 and permit opening of the mold sections and removal thereof from the driving plate i0. Conversely the lever 80 may be actuated so as to force the bearing head I8 downwardly into position to cause the flange 16a to embrace the ring 15 and hence support the upper end of the mold in proper alinement for rotation.

The machine is preferably provided with a drain pan 84 forming a gutter to carry ofl fluid material thrown out from the mold during rotation thereof. This pan 84 may extend the full length of the machine and is supported along the lower vertical front face of the frame 14 by means of brackets 85, see Fig. 2. The outer flanged edge of the pan preferably extends upwardly beneath the over-hanging tapered edge 86 of the driving disk l0. As a consequence fluid material thrown off at either side of theniold will drain into the pan 84.

The cam or eccentric shaft 34 extends, in the present embodiment, the full length of the machine beneath the several mold units. One end of this shaft carries a gear 81 which meshes with a gear 88 on the drive shaft of an electric moto'r 89, and suitable controls are provided for stopping and starting the motor so as to control the rotation of the shaft as desired.

As illustrated in Figs. 2 and '7, the semi-cylindrical mold sections 62 form with the vertical shaft or core member 65 a space within which the pulpy material may be molded to the desired shape and form. For the purpose of dividing this space into two segments so as to provide two separate segmental molded forms the shaft 65 is provided withdiametrically opposed vanes 90 extending outwardly 'to the abutting edges of the mold sections. These vanes may be fastened in vertical grooves in the shaft and are clamped between the abutting vertical edges of the mold sections when the latter are in closed position as shown in Fig. '1. By this construction the mold will produce two separate but similar mold sections adapted, for example, to fit over a pipe to be insulated which has substantially the diameter of the core 65.

The perforatei' or foraminous walls of the mold sections may be reinforced by means of arcuate webs or clamping members 9| and 92, a suitable number of these being provided and being spaced vertically at desired intervals as shown in Fig. 2. The sections may be hinged together by means of a vertical pintle pin 93 pivotally connecting the adjacent ends of the reinforcing bands 9| and 92 at one side of the mold. The opposite ends'of the bands 9| and 92 may be detachably clamped together by means of a vertical slide rod 94 having projecting latch members adapted to be projected into apertures in the ends of the reinforcing members 92, the rod 94 being vertically slidable in alined apertures in the ends of the members 9!. The rod 94 is normally held in latching position, as shown in Fig. 2, by means of a coil spring 91 and the mold sections through the medium of a handle From the foregoing it will beseen that the head 16, after the molding process, may be shifted vertically on the shaft 65a. so as to leave the upper end of the mold sections 62 entirely free. Thereupon the entire mold may be lifted from the driving plate I0 so as to disconnect the driving connections 63 and 64 and permit installation of another mold for a succeeding operation. The mold may be readily broken by releasing the latching means 94, 95 and swinging the sections apart. 'If desired the members 9| and 92 may be formed separately from the mold sections and form clamping rings hinged together at 93 and adapted to be closed or opened so as to clamp the mold sections together or release them.

A fluid mixture F of fiber or other suitable material, water or other liquid and binder in a pulpy fluid mass is supplied to a vat or other tank (not shown) above the mold unit, and after being properly mixed by suitable agitators, is fed through a suitable conduit or supply pipe (not shown) and through the openings I1 into the spaces between the mold sections 62, the core 65 and the separator vanes 99. As the fluid is Yflbers of the material and causes a substantial matting and packing thereof. In accordance with the preferred process the vibratory action is continued until the mold is filled after which the eccentric 49 is disengaged from the end of the shaft l1. At this time it is preferred to start the motor l5 and spin the mold 82 through the 70 belt wheel l2, driving disk 10 and driving connections 63, 84. The mold is spun a suitable periodof time and during this operation a further amount of water or other liquid is extracted or driven off from the material by centrifugal action, this liquid being expelled through the perforations in the mold walls. The spinning operation results in a further intermingling of the fibers of the material and where combined with the vertical vibratory action results in a most efficient knitting and felting of the fibers while at the same time extracting the major part of the fluid from the material. It is preferred to first agitate the mold during the progressive filling thereof with the pulpy material. In some instances, however, it has been found desirable to simultaneously agitate and rotate the mold during chat the completion of the filling operation. In any case it has been found that these two actions, 1. e. vibration and rotation, produce in conjunction a most desirable intermingling and knitting of fibers of the material, a very desirable packing of the material and the extraction of a large proportion of the liquid from the mass.

In the present preferred form of the invention,

-herein illustrated, I have provided an eccentric or cam means for agitating or vibrating the mold. It is understood that the invention, in its broader aspects, is not limited to such means as other mechanism may be utilized for this purpose, such for example as a reciprocating or vibrating electric or pneumatic hammer adapted,

for example, to work against the lower end of the shaft 1 or the supporting base for the mold.

I claim:

1. The method of molding insulation forms which comprises introducing into a foraminous mold a liquid pulpy mixture, agitating said mold, and spinning the mold about an upright axis to eject liquid content of the mixture from the mold and at the same time to produce a molded form.

2. The method of molding insulation forms which comprises introducing into a foraminous mold a liquid pulpy mixture, agitating the mold vertically, and spinning the mold about a vertical axis to eject from the mold the liquid content of said mixture.

3. The method of molding insulation forms composed of fibrous material which comprises vibrating vertically and also spinning a foraminous mold containing a liquid mass of said material thereby to eject liquid content of said mass from the mold.

4. The method of molding insulation forms which comprises the novel steps of introducing into a foraminous mold a liquid mass of material. agitating the mold in an upright manner while the material is being introduced therein, and spinning the mold, thereby to eject liquid content of the mass and produce a molded form.

5. In the method of molding insulation forms the step of introducing into a rotatable foraminous mold a liquid mixture containing the material to be molded and simultaneously agitating sa d mold vertically to eject liquid content from the mixture. i

6. The method of molding insulation forms "which comprises introducing into a foraminous mold a fluid mass of material to be molded, agitating said mold during the filling operation to extract liquid content from the mass, and there-.

after rotating said mold about an upright axis to further extract liquid content from the mass.

7. In an apparatus for producing insulationforms composed of fibrous stock or the like, the combination of a foraminous mold adapted. to contain said stock in a fluid mass, means for vibrating said mold, and means for spinning said mold about an upright axis to eject liquid content of the mixture from the mold.

8. In an apparatus for producing molded insulation forms, the combination of a foraminous mold adapted to contain a fiuid mass of material to be molded, means forrotating said mold about a vertical axis and means for agitating said mold.

9. In an apparatus for producing molded insulation forms, the combination of an upright foraminous mold adapted to contain the material as a fluid mass, cam means for agitating said mold, means for spinning said mold, and a rotary drive shaft for actuating said cam means.

10. In an apparatus of the class described, the combination of a foraminous mold adapted to contain a fluid mass of material to be molded, means for rotating said mold about a vertical -axis, a vertical shaft connected to said mold, and

eccentric means cooperable with said shaft for vibrating the same thereby to vibrate said mold.

11. In an'apparatus of the class described, the combination of a foraminous mold, means for rotating said mold about'a vertical axis, a vertical shaft connected to said mold, eccentric means cooperable with said shaft for vibrating the same thereby to vibrate said mold, and means for adjusting said eccentric means into and out of operative position withrespect to said shaft.

12. In an apparatus of the class described, the combination of a mold comprising a plurality of separable outer foraminous walls, a rotary driving member detachably connected to the lower end of the mold for spinning the same about a vertical axis, a supporting head for the upper end of said mold, and mechanism for agitating said mold.

13. In an apparatus of the class described, the combination of a mold comprising a plurality of separable outer foraminous walls, a rotary driving member detachably connected to the lower end of the mold for spinning the same about a vertical axis, a supporting head for the upper end of said mold, mechanism for agitating said mold, and means for vertically adjusting said head into and out of supporting position with respect to the mold.

14. In an apparatus of the class described, a mold comprising a plurality of separable outer foraminous walls, means for rotating'said mold about a vertical axis, a vertical spindle driven by said means and extending centrally of said walls, a bearing for the upper end of .said walls vertically slidable on said spindle, and means for vertically vibrating said mold.

15. In an apparatus of the class described, a mold comprising a plurality of separable outer foraminous walls, means for rotating said mold about a vertical axis, a vertical spindle driven by said means and extending centrally of said walls,

. a bearing for the upper end of said walls vertically slidable on said spindle, and means for vertically vibrating said mold, said last means comprising a rotary shaft and an eccentric carried thereby.

16. In an apparatus of the class described, a mold comprising a plurality of separable outer foraminous walls, means for rotating said mold about a vertical axis, a vertical spindle driven by said means and extending centrally of said walls, a bearing for the upper end of said walls vertically slidable on said spindle, means for vertically out of operative position with respect to said mold.

17. The combination of bank of foraminous molds each mounted to rotate about a vertical axis, a rotary shaft, eccentric devices driven from the shaft for agitating said molds, mechanism for rotating said molds, and means for disposing one of said devices in inoperative position with respect to its mold and independently of another of said devices.

18. The combination of a plurality of rotatable ioraminous molds, a rotary shaft, a device operated from said shaft for agitating each mold, each device including an eccentric, means for rotating the shaft, and means for adjusting each device to render its eccentric inefiectlve to agitate its mold.

19. The combination oi! a plurality of molds each comprising separable toraminous walls, means for removablysupporting the opposite ends of each mold, means for rotating each mold, a vibratable member for each mold, a rotary shaft, mechanism operated from said shaft for vibrating each of said members and including a device adjustable into and out of operative relation to said member, and means for adlusting each device.

20. The method of molding insulation forms which comprises introducing into a ioraminous mold a moldable mixture having an excess of liquid, agitating the mold vertically, or substantially so, to eject from the mold a portion of the liquid content of the mixture, and spinning the mold to eject from the mold an additional portion 01' the liquid content of said mixture.

21. The method of molding insulation forms which comprises introducing into a foraminous mold -a moldable mixture having an excess of liquid, agitating the mold vertically, or substantially so, to eject from the mold a portion of the liquid content of the mixture and also spinning the mold to eject from the mold an additional portion of the liquid content of said mixture.

22. The method of molding hollow cylindrical forms which comprises forming a pulpy mixture of solid insulating material and liquid into a hollow vertical cylinder, preventing the solid portion but not the liquid portion of said mixture irom passing the bounding surfaces of said cylinder, repeatedly subjecting the cylindrical mixture to a downward vertical inertia force and rotating the cylinder about its axis.

23. The method of molding insulation forms which comprises introducing into a ioraminous mold a moldable mixture having an excess of liquid, agitating the mold vigorously enough to eject therefrom a portion or the liquid content of the mixture and thereafter spinning the mold to ejectthereirom an additional portion of the liquid content.

WILLIAM BROWN. 

